Cutting machine



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Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNETED STTES FRANK CONSOLI, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CUTTING MACHINE.

Application filed October 25, 1924. Serial No. 745,775.

This invention relates to cutting machines principally adapted for use in cutting a plurality of transverse open ended segmental grooves in the outer or upper fac of the finger board of stringed musical instruments, such as a violin, viola, cello'or bass violin. e

United States Letters Patent on fin 'er boards of this type have been granted to me October 25th, 1910, No. 973,719 and February 2nd, 1915, No. 1,126,957 and it is the general object of this invention to cut at the proper depth and at predetermined distances from each other, all of the grooves in such a finger board in one operation.

With this and other obJects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the cutting machine.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal secticnal view of the cutter per se. Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the machine and finger board holder in position. Figure f is a detail perspective view of the finger board holder. Figure is a detail perspective view of a violin finger board cut on the machine. Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line G6 of Figure 5, and Fig ure 7 a perspective view of one of the celluloid cross pieces for filling the transverse segmental grooves.

As set forth in my previous patents, transverse grooves in the outer face of the finger board of a violin, viola, cello or bass violin are filled with cross pieces, such as white celluloid to form a marked contrast to the finger board. These cross pieces correspond to the chromatic scale of such musical instruments and thus facilitate the operation of locating the various notes and positions on the finger board for the composition of music.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the machine for cutting these grooves comprises a top or table 1 supported by legs 2, a rotary cutter 3 and a holder 4 for holding the finger boards to be cut.

Bearings 5 are provided on each end of the table for holding the shaft 6 and on one end of the shaft is mounted a pulley 7 over which is trained a belt 8 for driving the shaft from an electric motor 9, as shown in Figure 8.

The cutter 3 is mounted on the shaft and may be secured thereto in any well known manner, such as by means of a key 10 and to facilitate the removal and replacement the cutter is preferably made in one complete unit as shown in Figure 2. It comprises a sleeve 11 having one end provided with an enlarged shoulder portion 12, against which ts an end piece having a stop plate 13. A plurality of circular disc saws 14- are mounted on the sleeve and held in spaced relation at predetermined distances from each other by collars 15. The other end portion of the sleeve is screw threaded as at 16 to receive clamping nuts 17 for holding the saws and spacing. collars in a rigid position on'the sleeve. 18, 19 and 20 designate gauge pieces mounted on the cutter for limiting the depth of cut when the machine is in use.

In the embodiment of cutter shown in the drawings, the number of saws and the distance between the adjacent saws is that which is required for cutting the finger board to produce the chromatic scale of a violin (see Figure 5).. But it will be understood that in the finger boards of musical instruments larger in size than the violin, such as the viola, cello or bass the number and spacing apart of the saws will be carried out in proportion to the size of the particular finger board to be cut.

When it is desired to use a larger cutter the smaller cutter can be removed by first disengaging the shaft from its bearings and then removing the cutter from the shaft and replacing it by the larger one, as is obvious.

The holder at, for holding the finger boards to be cut, is preferably formed of a T shaped block of wood 21 and its face portion is provided, throughout its entire length, with a tapering groove portion 22 for receiving the finger board.

The finger board is securely wedged within the groove, and the upper or small end of the board may project slightly beyond the holder so as to engage the side of the stop plate l3 which acts as a guide piece during the cutting operation.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3 the front portion of the table 1 is restricted or cutaway, as indicated at 23, so asto provide an abutment upon which the holder is adapted to slide.

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Duringthe cutting operation an operator grips the holder between his fingers by the handle portion 24L andholds the lower portion of the holder against the abutment and then moves the lower edge of the finger board into engagement with the saws. Dur:

ing the cutting of the. grooves the operator swings the holder in front of the cutter and at the same time presses it against the abutment along which it slides at right angles to the axis of the cutter.

By reason of the curvature of the upper face of the finger board and its ei'igagement with the gauge pieces '18, 19 and 20 a plurality ofsegmental transverse open ended grooves 25 are cut in the upper face of the anger board in a single operation.

.lilodifica-tions of the arrangement shown may be made if desired. For instance instead of the holders being operated at the side of the cutter it could be made to operate between guide pieces from the top of the cutter.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A cutter comprising a group of circular Saws united in parallel relation and spaced apart to correspond to the chromatic scale of a violin finger board, and means for rotating the cutterin combination with a holder for the finger board adapted to be swung in front of said cutter and an abutment for said holder upon which the holder may be slid when holding the finger board in contact with said saws, said holder having a convex edge adapted to beslid and rocked on said abutment. I

2. A cutter comprising a group of circular saws united in parallel relation and spaced apart to correspond to the chromatic scale of a violin finger board, and means for rotating the cutter in combination with a holder for the finger board having its face portion provided with a tapering groove into which the finger board is adapted to fit, said holder adapted to be swung in front of said cutter and an abutment for said holder upon which the holder may be slid when holding the finger board in contact with said saws, said holder having a convex edge adapted to he slid and rocked on said abutment.

3. A cutter comprising a group of circulaisaws united in parallel relation and spaced apart to correspond to the chromatic scale of a violin linger board, a stop plate on the end of said cutter and means for rotatingthe cutter; in combination with a holder for the finger board adapted to en gage the stop plate and to be swung in front of cut and means for rotating the cutter; in

combination with a holder for the finger board, said holder having its face portion provided with a tapering groove into which the finger board is adapted to fit, said holder adapted to be swung in front of said cutter and an abutment for said holder upon which the holder may be slid when holding the finger board in contact with said saws, said holder having a convex edge adapted to be slid and rocked on said abutment. V

5. A cutter comprising a group of circu lar saws united in parallel relation and spaced apart to correspond to the chromatic scale of a violin finger board, a stop plate mounted on the end of said cutter, gauge pieces mounted on the cutter for limi 1g the depth of cut and means for rotatingthe cutter; in combination ith a T slurp-erv holder for the finger board having its face portion-pro 'i-ded with a tapering groove into which the finger board is adapted to fit. said holder adapted to swing in front of said cutterand an abutment for said. holder upon which the holder may be slid when holding the finger board in contact with said saws, said holder having a convex edge adapted to be slid and rocked on said abutment.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 23rd day of October, 1924:.

FRANK CONSOLI. 

